Tape construction



Feb. 14, 1950 N, H, SHlLLMAN 2,497,471

TAPE CONSTRUCTION Filed sept. 1o, 1947 l n mln-lum! A INVENTOR. NATHAN HSMLLMAN ATTRNEY Patented Feb. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT *OFF-ICE 'TPE ri'NSTRUCT'I'ON NathanH.;shllmanealtimore, Md. inpeiieauan'sepfemb-er io,l r947 seria1iNo.7'isj:r3s

This Einvention relates v"to "fsupporting'i'rames for 'extensible measuring *tapes and vmore 'par--` ticularly to frames `for *use yin-connection*with' that-type vof A thin steelgraduated tapetwhichis adapted to be wound on'adrum'withinttheiraine for use `in soundingithedepthfof '-tankrs', w'ells andthe 'like lcontaining 'oil"or'similar iliquidsfand forfgeneral'usein'theeld L f 'Heretoforef measuring tapes' 'and drums o'fthis type have "been *fully :enclosed vvithin a casing meniber provided jWith' an entrance T opening through 'Whichthe tape passes, suchl casings being shown 'andf'describedin Tiny *pri-or United StatesllettersPatentjNos. 1;'485i 34 :and '1,679173.

Associated with 'the -ea'sin'g member at "the `tape entrance `end thereof `is ja A'tape wiping' device 'to automatically 'cleantl'ie tape' as it `'passes Ltherethrough. 'It isamongftheiprincipal objects ofthis invention A"to provide :a `streain'lifed, lightweight means for preventing such lateral displacement l of lthe .tape in the region o'if and 'relatively 'Ito'y said wiping elements, asl miglit cause thetape to become friction'ally rbound `between Athe interloc'ked'front `enclsif the frame.

other objects or this invennori winfappear.

more "fully hereinafter.

The y invention consists substantially @in the construction, combination, location and relative invention;

rectangular Shapedbpen iframe v"for Y'a 'Ineas-20A uring tape and "drum Which JWilly A'g'xpos'e the Vtape, whereby braking action may' readily fbe 'applied` isWound-being-shown'inV position upon thei-lower frame member;

Figure "2 is 'a side lView of 'lth'e `closed Yframe showing therelative arrangement fof the several' vparts thereof including the winding "drum "fto which the tape' is 'attached-and' the( tvipingiblocks,

the latter beingfl'shownfin vertical section;

'Figure f3 isI a View fof'- the entrance fend :of *the frame showing the-guide flips Ortheftape;

'Fig-ure 4' is'aftdp view-f the frame with afpait of f'the upper franie fmen'iberf removed and the rotary crank el'einent,drum and tape in' section t'o show the Imanner ef vseating the sarnelin fthe lo'wer Y'frame merriber; K

Figure 5 is a View in section tak-anion lineEQ-B df *Figuref6; and n Figure is 'aview of thefrarnef-showing "the side jthereof oppesite to that shown AFigure 2.

The'fs'a'me part is designated v by thesaniefreference v'numeral Whenever "itoccurs tl'irouehout'tiie4 several views.

characteristic '-featureothe :tape ifi-ame -of the fj'p'resent 'invention isjtha't 'all'o'f the parts ef.:y theifra'me'are open'to inspeetion'at-all times and thatV the *framecan readily "be opened or -closed' and-the componertparts leasily taken-apart andv thenreassembled. No other tool /thanla screw driver ior the like ris necessaryto Jaccomplish this.

rectangular shaped members, substantially duffI plicates, *which when `closed are in juxtaposition t'oiform `the Whole, thi's-ibeing effected `-yby hingingthe "two umembersftioerether athene endof the frame rand "by the provision-'olf ra `yoke and sety screw `locking'devit'ze lat the oppositeend. Thej frame has a Ycentral "opening, l'forming bearings (if-unequal diameters in'tvhichl is seatedthe rotary crank element and nthe winding drumvvith the tape-thereon. 4"Il'lefi'ree 'ends oflthe `frame halves Vare complementa'lly formedal'onig their opposing faces ,tolform "a tape slot, one Aof said "free ends bein'glprovided "Withup'standing 4lips todene the opposite side' edges' the opening through 'which the tapel may 'passjas it is 'extended Tronior Wound "into vthe "frame ,'t'is' 'to benojtedjthat fthe'- rotary crank 'element and fthe {Windinjg dru'rn "are iso constructec' 'that they constitute one ysingle "integraleleinent 'olf the complete device. "That -is, `Athewin'ding drum Figure 21 is a view fin Aeenpermve'y';of, fine-'imc proper is integrally'iornied with and upon the' :shaft of `.the 'rotary crank element 1and is provided 'with a -slot to'ieceive "thereinthe inner end"of"the tape.

" so that the inner end of the tape suitably provided with means to iit within and engage said tively, through which extends a hinge pin il,

thus providing a hinged joint at this end of the frame. At the opposite or front end of the frame the relatively iiat open members I0 and II have integrally formed therewith oppositely projecting block shaped portions I8 and I9, these portions being in turn provided with recesses or sockets 2D and 2I, respectively for a purpose to be described.

Hinged to one of the frame members, preferably to the member Il, at the extreme forward end I9 thereof is a yoke 22 of generally U-shape, the legs and base of the U being adapted, when swung from the open position of Figure 1 upwardly, to embrace the juxtaposed front ends of the frame members IU and II as shown in Figure 2. By means of the set screw 23 passing through the base of the yoke 22 and engaging the upper surface of the portion I8 of the upper frame'half I0, the frame halves I0 and II are locked rmly into closed position in the manner shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The frame halves II) and II are respectively provided with enlarged semi-circular bosses 24 and 25 which, when the halves are locked together, conjointly constitute bearings on opposite sides of the frame in which are seated the opposite ends of the journal of the winding drum, which will be described. In this particular instance, the bearing 24 is of greater diameter than the bearing 25, though for the purposes of this invention these bearings could well have been of equal diameter. As is best apparent in Figures 1 and 3, the front ends of the frame members I0 and II are complementally formed in the opposing surfaces thereof to provide a slightly ared slotted opening 26 for easier passage of the tape into and out of the frame, when the latter is closed. It will be observed that the lower frame member I I is slightly longer than the upper frame member I3 (see Figure 2) and that the front end thereof extends beyond the corresponding end of frame member I0 for a short distance. Upstanding from this forward extension of frame member I I are a pair of laterally spaced lips 2'I-2'l which define therebetween the tape opening 26 extending transversely between the frame members I0 and II. These lips 21-21 form side guides for the tape in passage from the drum to effectively prevent the same `from entering between the frame members on either side of the opening 26. Without such guide lips 21-21, it is possible for the tape, if it does not run true within the slot 26, to work its way between the frame members on either side of the slot along the line of closure therebetween and become jammed or locked therein, thus breaking the tape or making it inoperative and necessitating an adjustment of the parts,which may include an opening of the en- 4 this instance an integral part yof the winding drum, is shown most clearly in Figures 1, 4 and 5. This unit consists essentially of a large journal 28 formed integrally with a smaller journal 29, these journals being adapted to seat respectively in the bearings 24 and 25 in the frame. Formed intermediately of the journals 28 and 29 is an enlarged central portion 30 which constitutes the drum upon which the tape I4 is adapted to be wound. A portion of the edge of the drum 30 is iiattened, as at 3I, and has a transverse slot cut therein terminating in an enlarged opening 32,

slot and opening may be adequately secured to said drum.

To prevent lateral displacement of the crank unit with respect to the frame, integrally formed flanges 33 and 34 are provided at the opposite ends thereof, these flanges embracing the exterior surfaces of the bearings 24 and 25 respectively, when the crank unit is positioned within the frame. Preferably formed integral with the flange 33 is a lateral extension 35 to which is pivoted the crank arm 36. This arm 35 is provided with a handle 31 adapted to seat, when folded out of use, within a pocket 38 provided therefor in the body of the crank unit and wherein the same is retained against accidental displacement therefrom by a spring clip 39.

A stuffing box is formed integrally at the front end of the frame by the provision of oppositely disposed sockets 20 and 2| in each of which is disposed a wiper element 40. These wiper elements are preferably formed of a suitable nonabrasive material and are arranged by any suitable method to iit snugly within their respective sockets 2D, 2|. Set screws 4I, 42 passing through the base Walls of the sockets from the exterior.

A handle 43 is provided for the device, this* handle extending substantially from the pivoted rear end to the front end thereof with the main body portion thereof being spaced therefrom a distance suiicient to readily accommodate the hand of a user of the device. One end 44 of the handle is mounted directly upon the pivot pin II while the opposite free end 45 oi the same is provided with a projecting tab 46 adapted to overlie the meeting edges of the ends of the frame members ill and II at one side thereof. The

` locking yoke 22 is formed with an oiset portion tire device, before the tape may again he op- 41 adapted to embrace the tab 46 when the frame is locked and ready to use.

By reason of the construction described, it will be seen that a lightweight tape frame device or unit has been provided which is not bulky and in which the tape and the drum therefor are in full view at all times for inspection and cleaning and which may be readily and conveniently opened as described for the insertion or removal of the crank and winding drum unit and of the tape.

Thus all of the elements'of the device are readily available for purposes of cleaning and adjustment. Furthermore, with the open frame device for the tape and drum it will be obvious lthat braking means may quickly be applied to the tape as it unwinds from the drum under the height of a plumb bob with which this type of tape is normally used. With the arrangment of side guide lips for the tape as it enters the wiping elements at the entrance end of the device, there is no danger of the tape becoming bound between the upper and lower frame members along the meeting line thereof and consequently there is no danger of the tape becoming jammed or locked and breaking or otherwise causing the tape device to be inoperative and unusable.

It is understood that various arrangements and modications other than that described above may be devised and yet come within the spirit of this invention. Accordingly it is the intention that the appended claims be construed broadly to cover such alternative arrangements and modifications.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A tape holding device comprising a pair of complementally formed members adapted when iltted together to provide a tape housing having laterally spaced bearings for a tape drum and a tape passage opening at one end thereof, adjacent ends of said members being hinged together, wiping elements disposed in the free ends of said members, means to releasably interlock said ends of the members to form said tape passage opening therebetween, said wiping elements being adapted to engage the opposite surfaces of said tape in passage to clean the same, and guide means dening said opening for limiting lateral displacement of the tape, said guide means including a pair of laterally spaced elements integrally formed on the free end of one of said tape housing members and adapted to overlie the end surface of the other of said members when the latter are fitted together.

2. A tape holding device comprising a pair of complementally formed members adapted when fitted together to provide a tape housing having laterally spaced bearings for a tape drum and a tape passage opening at one end thereof, adjacent ends of said members being hinged together, .wiping elements disposed in the free ends of said members, means to releasably interlock said ends of the members to form said tape passage opening therebetween, said wiping elements being adapted to engage the opposite faces of said tape in passage to clean the same, and spaced guide lips at the end of one of said members defining said opening and extending in front of the end of the other of said members for limiting lateral displacement of the tape.

NATHAN H. SHILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,679,178 Shillman July 31, 1928\ 1,703,703 Anderson Feb. 26, 1929 1,987,264 McMahan Jan. 8, 1935 

